16 hours on a plane, then Dubai.

I'd tried to not think about the long flight but at the 10th hour I was forced to face reality. I was stuck on a plane for at least 6 more hours. We were really lucky in that it wasn't rough and there were no annoying crying children. Everyone was well behaved. That said, other than last Friday (when I finished work), I can't remember a happier time than stepping out of the plane and onto the ground! I would have kissed this ground but I was too busy looking bug eye'd around me at everything.
After now flying through 4 countries I've come to the conclusion that the Australian Government is one of two things: 1) they know something about terrorism that other countries don't know or the likely one 2) love getting off on being militant. In Australia we were all scanned at least 3 times before entering the plane, some of us were swabbed. We had to dispose of anything over 100ml. We had to take an oath on our children's children that we had no intention of harming anyone. When we got to Dubai the scanners weren't working, all for show. They weren't paying attention to the vision of the bags being screened. Same for Frankfurt & Prague. No one cares what you carry on board. No one makes you put your liquid and gell in a little see-through bag. Interesting and very confusing. I felt like I was from a communist state and wanting to please the higher being but I was being a Western nerd and they were all laughing at me..joy.
Now for Dubai. Let me tell you, clients at work complain when workmen start work a minute before 8am. Here, there is full on construction and I mean, cranes, welding, earth movers, etc etc 24/7. Yes, that's right. They build all the time! And they don't have noise restrictions. They don't have to sign anything that says they will be quiet and not exceed such and such a law. Na ah. You need to weld at 3am...then you weld! Photo's to come...
Interesting fact for you, Dubai has 3 courts; Criminal; Family; Traffic. The traffic court is by far the busiest. I'm not surprised. After getting in the taxi at the airport I had assumed the safety position of head between my legs after 2 seconds. Red lights mean nothing. Other cars mean nothing. Hell, gutters mean nothing!!
Shopping has a whole other meaning in Dubai. The locals and tourists are mad for it. And with prices basically half of what they are at home I joined them in their madness! Oops! It's hard not to get caught up in the buying frenzy. The pain comes not in the realisation that because you have been circular breathing you've bought stuff for the sake of buying it but rather when you go to leave the shopping centre (which has over 370 stores). The line for taxi's was beyond anything I have EVER seen. And they are prepared for it. They have a specially built little cattle rounder thing. Snakes right around.
We left Dubai, not sad and not regretful. I was glad I'd been there. But I don't know I'd do it again. It's a long way for a 24 hour construction zone with lots of men. I had to wear my sports bra in the effort to flatten my breasts. I was smiled at and almost licked every 5 minutes. In the end I embraced the attention but it got annoying so I donned the sports bra and lost the attention!
Next stop Prague - sneak peak for Prague...LOVE IT!!!!!!
I miss you all so much and wish that I could have each of you here with me.